JANUARY 2024

D LA REPUBBLICA — INTERVIEW WITH RICK OWENS, THE DESIGNER REVERED BY FANS AS A CULT— JANUARY 2024 — BY SERENA TIBALDI



A COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO BRANDS, RICK OWENS AND MONCLER, EXPANDS THE BOUNDARIES OF FASHION.

FOR HIS MANY ADMIRERS, HIS IS NOT A BRAND BUT A RELIGION. IN THIS INTERVIEW (AND IN A NEW BOOK), HE TALKS ABOUT HIS EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY THAT HAS LED HIM TO BECOME ONE OF THE LEADING NAMES IN THE SECTOR. BUT THAT ALSO BECAME A CHALLENGE TO LIFE: “REVENGE ON THOSE WHO BULLIED ME FOR BEING AN EFFEMINATE CHILD."

FASHION NEEDS A CONTEXT TO STEP INTO AND A PRESENT TO DEAL WITH TO MAKE SENSE. THERE ARE VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE, AND RICK OWENS IS ONE OF THEM. THE CALIFORNIAN DESIGNER, WHO NOW LIVES BETWEEN PARIS AND VENICE — HE CALLS THE CHOICE “REVENGE ON THOSE WHO BULLIED ME FOR BEING AN EFFEMINATE CHILD” — AND HAS ALWAYS DONE THINGS HIS WAY. AND HE WAS RIGHT, TOO. HIS BRAND IS FIERCELY INDEPENDENT, HIS COMMERCIAL SUCCESS IS CONSTANTLY GROWING (THE ESTIMATE IS 200 MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES IN 2023), AND HIS CLOTHES ARE SO STRONG THAT THEY ARE ENOUGH ON THEIR OWN. THIS IS DEMONSTRATED BY MORE RICK OWENS (PUBLISHED BY RIZZOLI NEW YORK), THE NEXT VOLUME THAT DOCUMENTS HIS COLLECTIONS FROM 2019 TO TODAY (THE LAST BOOK, RICK OWENS, COVERS HIS WORKS FROM 2014 TO 2019). THE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY DANIELLE LEVITT BACKSTAGE AT HIS FASHION SHOWS. THE BACKGROUND IS ALWAYS WHITE; THE MODELS ARE THE ONLY SUBJECTS, AND THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO THE HISTORICAL MOMENT OR WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THEM. “I LIKE THIS REPETITIVENESS, AS IT GIVES STRENGTH AND MEANING TO THE PROJECT. BESIDES, THE IMAGES WERE TAKEN AT THE BEST TIME, WHEN THE MODELS ARE ABOUT TO GO OUT ON THE RUNWAY: THE ENERGY AND SENSE OF ANTICIPATION ARE PALPABLE. AND IT'S ALSO THE MOMENT WHEN I HAVE ABSOLUTE CONTROL OVER THE CLOTHES. EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY THE WAY I WANT IT,” OWENS EXPLAINS, CHATTING AMIABLY FROM A REMOTE BEACH IN MEXICO WHERE HE IS ON VACATION.



HOW DID YOU CHOOSE WHICH LOOK TO PUBLISH FROM THE COLLECTIONS?

“I APPLY THE SAME METHOD TO EVERYTHING: WORK QUICKLY, LEAVE, RETURN, MAKE A FEW CHANGES, LEAVE AGAIN, COME BACK, AND MAKE OTHER CHANGES. FINALLY, I FINISH AND AVOID OVERTHINKING.”

IN THIS PROCESS, HOW IMPORTANT IS THE OPINION OF OTHERS?

“I USED TO THINK I NEEDED IT, BUT THEN I REALIZED IT WAS MORE OF A SUPERSTITION THAN ANYTHING ELSE, SO I GOT RID OF IT. THE THING IS, I'VE NEVER PLAYED SPORTS OR LEARNED TEAMWORK, AND BEING AN ONLY CHILD DOESN'T HELP EITHER. I WRITE THE RELEASES FOR MY COLLECTIONS ON MY OWN BECAUSE, IN A WORLD OF BRANDS WHERE DESIGNERS HAVE TO FOLLOW CERTAIN PARAMETERS AND PRIORITIES SET BY OTHERS, I VALUE SPEAKING IN MY VOICE. THAT'S WHY MY SHOWS MEAN SO MUCH TO ME - THEY'RE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE GARMENTS, THE SET, AND THE MUSIC THAT I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY.”

IT'S NOT JUST YOU; THE TURNOUT OF FANS TRYING TO ATTEND YOUR FASHION SHOWS IS ALWAYS REMARKABLE.

“HAVE YOU SEEN THE PARTY SCENE FROM THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW? WHEN I WAS 16, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE COOLEST PARTY EVER, AND I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO BE THERE. BUT NOW, LOOKING AT MY AUDIENCE, I REALIZE THAT IN THE END, I WAS ABLE TO ORGANIZE THAT PARTY MYSELF."

AMONG THE FASHION SHOWS IN THE BOOK, THERE ARE ALSO THOSE SET UP DURING THE LOCKDOWN AT LIDO DI VENEZIA.

“IT WAS SURREAL. THERE WERE VERY FEW OF US; THE BACKSTAGE WAS IN THE LOBBY OF A HOTEL THAT HAD REOPENED JUST FOR US, AND EVERYTHING WAS PRECARIOUS. BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT YOUR CHARACTER IS FORMED IN ADVERSITY: I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE IN SUCH A DARK TIME.”

IN ADDITION TO THE RUNWAYS AND BOOKS, YOUR WORK ALSO ENDED UP IN A MUSEUM: IN 2017, THE MILAN TRIENNALE DEDICATED THE SUBHUMAN INHUMAN SUPERHUMAN EXHIBITION TO YOU. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO SAY THAT FASHION IS A LIVING THING AND THAT IT DOESN'T BELONG IN MUSEUMS?

“BUT OF COURSE, IT BELONGS IN MUSEUMS: IT IS THE RELIC OF A MOMENT FIXED IN TIME, AND LIKE ALL RELICS, IT MUST BE EXHIBITED IN A SHRINE.”

SPEAKING OF MOMENTS FIXED IN TIME, YOU POSTED A VIDEO OF 2003 ON INSTAGRAM. WHAT DID YOU THINK UPON SEEING IT AGAIN?

“THAT I WAS ARROGANT. AND THAT I HAD AN AMAZING PHYSIQUE. "THE FACE, HOWEVER, I PREFER MY CURRENT ONE. TWENTY YEARS AGO, IT WAS SOFTER, AND I LOOKED LIKE A KID TRYING TO BE TOUGH. I LIKE MY SHARPER AND MORE AUSTERE FEATURES. LAST YEAR, I EVEN TRIED BOTOX AND SOME FILLERS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE SLIGHTEST EFFECT. EVEN BETTER, I REALLY CARE ABOUT ALL OF MY FEATURES.”

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN FASHION?

“STUDYING ART BECAUSE I WANTED TO BECOME JULIAN SCHNABEL. OR AT LEAST, JUST LIKE HIM. BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT TO BE AN ARTIST, YOU MUST BE INTELLECTUALLY RAMPANT AND RECKLESS, AND I WAS AFRAID I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY. IN HINDSIGHT, I NOW KNOW I WOULD HAVE MANAGED IT, REGARDLESS OF THE SUCCESS. OH WELL, IT'S GONE. MY FATHER, A PRAGMATIC FELLOW, THEN SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD AIM FOR SOMETHING USEFUL; I LISTENED TO HIM, AND I ENROLLED IN A MODEL-MAKING COURSE. I WAS INCLINED TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS REASONED IN THREE DIMENSIONS AND KNEW THAT GOOD MODELERS ARE ALWAYS SOUGHT AFTER. THIS IS HOW I MET MICHÈLE (LAMY, HIS WIFE AND BUSINESS PARTNER). AT THE TIME SHE LIVED IN LOS ANGELES, I WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF HER BRAND.”

WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE YOU CREATED?

“LET ME THINK... A NILE GREEN MONTANA JACKET WITH HUGE SHOULDERS. BUT IN THE EARLY DAYS, I COPIED A LOT OF PIECES BY GREAT DESIGNERS. A GREAT TRAINING GROUND.”

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THOSE WHO COPY YOU?

“ONCE, IN A VERY DISTANT AND NOT RICH COUNTRY, I FOUND MYSELF IN FRONT OF A WOMAN WEARING A VERY CHEAP IMITATION OF MY LEATHER JACKET. THINKING THAT, IN SUCH A PLACE, SOMEONE HAD CHOSEN TO COPY ME MADE ME PROUD. OF COURSE, IF I WERE AN UNKNOWN AND POOR DESIGNER, I WOULD BE ANGRY, BUT WHEN YOU PRESENT YOUR CREATION TO THE WORLD, SOMEONE ELSE WILL INEVITABLY MAKE IT THEIR OWN.”

HOW MUCH DID GROWING UP IN A CATHOLIC FAMILY AFFECT YOUR VISION?

“ACTUALLY, ONLY MY MOTHER WAS, AND AT HOME, WE WEREN'T PARTICULARLY STRICT. THAT SAID, IT CERTAINLY SHAPED ME. IN THE SMALL TOWN WHERE I LIVED, THE NUNS IN THEIR DARK OUTFITS WERE THE HEIGHT OF CHIC; AT SCHOOL, WE STUDIED THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS, WHO DID GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS THINGS WEARING BEAUTIFUL LONG DRESSES, AND EVERY DAY, WE WOULD ENTER THE CHURCH TO WORSHIP A MAN ON A CROSS HALF NAKED AND WITH SCULPTED ABS. THAT'S BASICALLY MY WHOLE IMAGINATION.” (HE LAUGHS)

ARE YOU RELIGIOUS?

“I BELIEVE IN POSITIVE ENERGY BEYOND LIFE. GOOD ALWAYS PREVAILS IN THE END, EVEN IF WITH DIFFICULTY: THE FUTURE OF CIVILIZATION IS BUILT THIS WAY, OVERCOMING TRAGEDIES AND WARS.”

INSTEAD, HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR FUTURE?

“I WOULD LIKE TO BE LIKE MR. ARMANI AND WORK UNTIL I AM 90 YEARS OLD. IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A STROKE WHILE I'M WORKING, TO DIE DOING WHAT I LOVE THE MOST.”

BUT YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER YOU.

“IT USED TO WORRY ME A LOT, BUT THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT DIOR: THE BRAND IS DOING GREAT TODAY, BUT IF I WERE CHRISTIAN DIOR, WOULD I BE HAPPY WITH WHAT IT HAS BECOME? I DON'T THINK SO. OR EVEN MARGIELA: A GREAT JOB HAS BEEN DONE TO PRESERVE THE BRAND'S IDENTITY, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW MARTIN FEELS ABOUT THAT. BUT THAT'S HOW IT WORKS: BRANDS GET BIGGER, THEY EVOLVE. AT THE MOMENT, I'M CAUGHT UP BETWEEN MY EGO, WHICH WOULD LIKE RICK OWENS TO END UP WITH ME, TO BE REMEMBERED THE WAY I THOUGHT OF HIM, AND THE WILL TO MAKE SURE THAT MY GRANDCHILDREN CAN BENEFIT FROM ALL THIS. I HAVEN'T DECIDED YET. ALSO, BECAUSE, IN REALITY, IN THE END, DOES IT MATTER TO ME? I'LL BE DEAD ANYWAY.”